Donkey Kong 64
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Wikipedia-Article "Donkey Kong 64"
| Donkey Kong 64 | |
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| Developer(s) | Rareware |
| Publisher(s) | Nintendo |
| Designer(s) | |
| Engine | |
| Latest version | {{{version}}} |
| Release date(s) | November 22, 1999 |
| Genre | Platformer |
| Mode(s) | Single player, 2-4 Multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Everyone (E) |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo 64 |
| Media | 64-Megabit cartridge |
| System requirements | Expansion Pak |
| Input | |
Donkey Kong 64 is an adventure/platform video game developed by Rareware for the Nintendo 64. DK64 was published by Nintendo and released on November 22, 1999. The game is one of two for the Nintendo 64 that require the use of the Expansion Pak in order to function (Zelda: Majora's Mask was the other game). The initial release of Donkey Kong 64 included the Expansion Pak with the game for free. Donkey Kong 64 would later become a Nintendo 64 Player's Choice. This game is a follow up to the Donkey Kong Country (Super Donkey Kong) trilogy on the Super Famicom/SNES.
The game's working titles were Super Donkey Kong 64 (for the Japanese version) and Donkey Kong Country 64 (for the North American and PAL European versions).
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Plot
The plot is a continuation from the DKC series, with many jokes (as is typical of Rareware). King K. Rool is trying to destroy the Kong's island with a large laser called the Blast-O-Matic, but it's malfunctioning. To buy some time, he captures a handful of Kongs and locks them up, and steals Donkey Kong's hoard of Golden Bananas. As Donkey Kong frees his fellow apes, they set off to recover the Bananas, defeat K. Rool, and save the DK Isles.
Characters
There are five playable characters: Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Lanky Kong, Tiny Kong, and Chunky Kong. Non-player characters include:
Levels
There are 8 large levels, as well as the massive overworld. Each level has 5 golden bananas and 100 regular bananas to collect for each of the 5 characters. They also each have their own boss to fight at the end. This means to complete the game 101% requires many hours.
Gameplay
The main section of the game is the single-player experience, but there is also a multi-player mode.
Single-player
The game is a 3D adventure with strong platforming links, similar to that of Banjo Kazooie or Super Mario 64. Much of the gameplay involves collecting various items, such as coins, bananas, weapons, keys, fruits, and more. IGN described it as the most "collecting-ist" game ever. Thematically, Donkey Kong 64 is most like the original Donkey Kong Country, with the Sci-Fi and Pirate settings of the second and third games being largely omitted.
Unusual for its genre is the ability to buy and upgrade weapons for each character. They are able to fire both regular and homing ammo, and to throw orange grenades.
There are two unlockable mini-games - the Rambi Arena (a rhino) and the Enguarde Arena (a swordfish). There are also two unlockable arcade games - the original Donkey Kong and Jetpac.
Multi-player
This can be played by up to 4 players at one time. It features 3 arenas (and one special one) and 6 gameplay modes. The 5 playable characters from the single-player adventure are also used in the multi-player mode, along with one secret character, Krusha.
Game Modes
- Survival: Each player has a set amount of lives. Play continues until all players but one have been eliminated.
- Coin Hoard: Each player must collect coins from set locations. The player with the most coins at the end of the time limit wins.
- Wins: Similar to Survival, except that winning is based upon scoring a set amount of kills.
- Timer: Similar to Wins, except instead of a set amount of kills, a time limit is placed. The player with the most kills by the end of the match wins.
- Capture: A single coin is placed in the middle of the arena. The player who holds onto the coin the longest wins.
- Capture Pads: Players must carry the coin over pads to gain points.
Mysteries
- Donkey Kong 64 has several seemingly pointless features, which sparked rumors of secret extra modes when it came out. The most famous is a useless monkeyport linking to a pillar, but there are also unopenable doors and out-of-place pictures. Typically Rareware have refused to comment, but they have a history of putting in these features to amuse and intrigue the gamer, for instance the cheese in Perfect Dark.
- Many players believed there was a secret Lost World stage in Donkey Kong 64, since one was featured in Donkey Kong Country 2 and Donkey Kong Country 3. By now it is clear that no such stage exists.
- Some claimed the Kritter enemy was actually Krunch from Diddy Kong Racing. Although they both look identical (both wear a Skull biker jacket), the two are not related.
- Like Kritter, the Kasplat enemy was also believed to be Krusha from Donkey Kong Country. This is untrue since a real Krusha makes an appearance as a playable character in Multiplayer mode. This theory was most likely fueled by a mistake made in Prima's Donkey Kong 64 Strategy guides, where Kasplat was mistaken for Krusha.
- Donkey Kong's Treehouse was supposed to have a shower with Banjo-Kazooie on it. The shower was removed before the game was released.
The DK Rap
Unlike most Nintendo 64 games, the intro movie to the game featured a full-length song with vocals. This song, the "DK Rap", has become infamous among fans, equally loved and hated for its unabashedly campy quality, as well as the fact that it was the first-ever incidence of the word "hell" being spoken aloud in a Nintendo game.
The DK Rap was used as background music in the Kongo Jungle level of Super Smash Bros. Melee, remixed with new vocals by James W. Norwood Jr.. In this version, the word "hell" is replaced with "heck", despite the fact that the game is rated T.
Sequels
Rareware was purchased by Microsoft in 2002, meaning they can no longer develop original games with the Donkey Kong franchise for the home video game consoles (they can still develop games for the handheld). Following this, the franchise branched off in multiple directions.
- Nintendo teamed up with Namco to make the musical drumming games Donkey Konga, Donkey Konga 2, and Donkey Konga 3 for the GameCube.
- Using the DK Bongos created for Donkey Konga, Nintendo's own NCL team created the GameCube's Donkey Kong Jungle Beat, a more Japanese take on the Donkey Kong Country series. While it was loosely based on the style of the DKC trilogy, Donkey Kong was the only character from those games to appear. Donkey Kong Jungle Beat was released in 2005.
- Japanese developer PAON created DK King of Swing for the Game Boy Advance, a more direct storyline sequel to Donkey Kong 64 and the titles that came before it. Instead of being a platformer, King of Swing involved jumping and swinging across hooks to advance through stages. King of Swing was released in 2005.
- Japanese developer Capcom is currently developing the arcade game Donkey Kong: Jungle Fever. The gameplay of the title is unknown but is thought to follow in the footsteps of Donkey Konga by Namco.
The Creators
- Development Team: George Andreas, Simon Craddick, Eveline Fischer, Matthew Grover, Brendan Gunn, Robert Harrison, Steven Horsburgh, Grant Kirkhope, Chris Peil, Neil Pryce, Mark Stevenson, Carl Tilley, Richard Vaucher, Andrew Wilson, Richard Wilson, Chris Woods
- Support Team: Kevin Bayliss, Robin Beanland, Edward Bryan, Johnni Christensen, Alistair Lindsay, Gregg Mayles, Steve Mayles, Don Murphy, Chris Seavor, Chris Sutherland, Chris Stamper, Tim Stamper
- Rare Testing: Ross Bullimore, Matthew Carter, Leonard Godfrey, Dale Murchie, Adam Munton, Luke Munton, Gary Phelps, Gavin Price, John Silke, Gareth Stevenson, Huw Ward, David Wong
- NOA Testing: Charlie Burgin, Tim Casey, Marc Doyal, Arnold Myers II, Chris Needham, Percy Taylor
- Special Thanks: Hiroshi Yamauchi, Shigeru Miyamoto, Howard Lincoln, Minoru Arakawa, Mike Fukuda, Gail Tilden, Michael Kelbaugh, Ken Lobb, Armond Williams, Kenji Miki, Keisuke Terasaki, Masashi Goto
Reaction
Dispite some critisim about being somewhat of a collection-fest-type of game and a few camera issues, Donkey Kong 64 was a successful game, usually reciving a score of 8.5-9/10. [1] It also received a few awards including an Editor's Choice award at Gamespot.com, and won the 1999 Nintendo Power awards in a number of catagories.
External links
| Arcade titles | DK – DK Jr. – DK 3 |
|---|---|
| Platforming titles | DK Country – DK Land – DK Country 2 – DK Land 2 – DK Country 3 – DK Land III – DK64 – DK: Jungle Beat |
| Arcade Sequels | DK '94 – Mario vs. DK |
| Music titles | Donkey Konga – Donkey Konga 2 – Donkey Konga 3 |
| Other titles | Diddy Kong Racing – DK Jr. Math – DK: King of Swing |
| Characters | Donkey Kong – Diddy Kong – Dixie Kong – Lanky Kong – Tiny Kong – Chunky Kong – Kiddy Kong – Mario |